This invention relates to apparatus for loading cartons with articles and, more particularly, to an indexing table for such a system.
Machinery for folding and loading of thin, limp, sheet-type articles into boxes, is used, for example, in the packaging of plastic bags, such as trash bags, produce bags and sandwich bags. These plastic bags are folded and loaded into cartons which contain, for example, 75 or 150 bags for retail sale.
Box forming machinery is available and commonly has a high capacity of production. Similarly, the box closing machinery which is presently available has a high capacity. When a system for filling boxes is initially installed, the production requirements are quite often much less than the capacity of the box forming and closing machinery. Installation engineers are faced with the quandary of providing expensive box loading mechanisms which can operate up to the capacity of the box forming machines, or alternatively, providing less expensive box forming machines having only the capacity which is required. If the latter option is chosen, after a few years the requirements may increase beyond the capacity of the box loading equipment, thereby obviating the system.
It is desirable to provide modular box loading equipment which can be easily expanded by adding box loading equipment as needed to the system.